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Michael Jackson's Abuse Case Reportedly Heading Back To Court

Home / Stars / Michael Jackson's Abuse Case Reportedly Heading Back To Court

By Afouda Bamidele on July 27, 2023 at 6:45 PM EDT

It has been reported that Michael Jackson's sexual abuse lawsuits might be on the verge of revival.

A California appeals court on will reportedly ponder upon re-opening the dismissed lawsuits of two men who alleged the "Heal the World" crooner sexually abused them as children for years. This tentative decision, likely made by the judicial authority, would order the cases back to a lower court for trial.

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Appeals Court Likely To Send Sexual Abuse Cases Against Micheal Jackson Back To Trial

More than a decade after Jackson died in 2009, he is back on the news with his alleged victims' suits that may end up back in court, per Mirror. The suits were famously filed after his demise by Wade Robson in 2013 and James Safechuck the following year.

The two men and their lawsuits became more widely known when they told their stories in the 2019 HBO documentary, "Leaving Neverland." Both sued MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc., two companies for which the superstar was the lone owner and shareholder.

Robson, who is now 40 years old, met Jackson when he was only five and appeared in the pop singer's music videos and recorded music on his label. His lawsuit alleged that the "Thriller" singer molested him for seven years.

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It enunciates that as Jackson's employee, the overseers of his two corporations had a duty to protect him the same way the Boy Scouts or a school would need to protect children from their leaders.

Safechuck, now 45, claimed he was introduced to the "Thriller" singer while filming a Pepsi commercial at nine years old. He said the "Black and White" artiste called him often and lavished him with gifts before sexually abusing him serially.

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Michael Jackson walking
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The lawsuit was initially dismissed by Superior Court Judge Mark A. Young in 2017 for being beyond the statute of limitations in California. The state, however, passed a new law that temporarily broadened the scope of sexual abuse cases leading the appeals court to restore them. 

Again in 2021, Young ruled that the two corporations and their employees were not legally bound to shield the alleged victims from Jackson and threw out the suits. But last month, California's 2nd District Court of Appeal reversed that judge and ordered the cases back to trial.

The estate of Jackson continues to deny that the singer abused either of the boys, and their lawyers will try again to convince the appeals court to reverse course.

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While the sexual abuse lawsuits aren't in Jackson's rearview, they couldn't deter his loved ones from honoring the legendary King of Pop on the 14th anniversary of his passing on Sunday, June 25.

As fans know, Janet Jackson had a close relationship with her late brother, both in the spotlight and away from it. She took to her Instagram to share two beautiful throwback pictures of them.

The first displayed the duo when they were younger, whereas the other was a grownup snap of them, decked in leather and fur and playing what looked like a video game. The 57-year-old chose not to articulate her feelings with words, so she captioned the post with a white heart emoji.

Other worthy tributes came from his children, Paris and Prince, and his siblings, including Latoya, Jackie, and Tito. His nephews, Taryll and Siggy, also joined in celebrating his life.

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Michael Jackson's Former Physician Opens Medical Institution After 12 Years

Michael Jackson's Estate Says 'Bad' Music Video Outfit Is Worth $271,000
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When the "Bad" singer tragically passed in 2009, his physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was linked to his demise due to the treatments he administered. The medical practitioner was incarcerated for involuntary manslaughter in 2011. 

However, a month ago—twelve years after the ordeal, Murray successfully relaunched his medical career. As shared by The Blast, the DCM Medical Institute opened in May in El Socorro, San Juan.

During the medical facility's launch, the infamous doctor spoke about his struggles and inspirations that helped him to open the institute. According to the 70-year-old, his old colleagues had turned their backs on him because of his status as a contributing factor to the "Bad" singer's death.

"When I returned to Trinidad, most of the colleagues I had trained felt that I was too much of a threat to be present," the physician explained and then added, "When all I was willing to do was to collaborate, further educate, and instill care for more and more." The father-of-seven continued:

"So they decided to eventfully lock the doors when they saw the cases I was performing," noting that their dismissal strengthened his resolve to overcome his infamous past. Murray confessed: "It was tough. I dealt with the country locking its borders for two years, but I did not give up. I felt that I had to be relentless."

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